Water meter



G. B. BASSETT Jan. 2, 1934.

WATER METER Filed March 2, 1931 Il I Il',

Patented Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention has reference to the construction of water meters and water meter intermediate gear trains and in particular to inclosed submerged gear trains for water meters having a releasing frost bottom as illustrated in Patent No. 1,390,664 granted Robert S. Bassett, Sept. 13, 1921.

This invention includes various improvements in the construction of such meters tending to simplicity in construction, convenience in assembly, accessibility, durability, lessening of wear and corrosion and other desirable results as will more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the meter. Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof with the upper part or main outer casing removed. Figure 3 is a section of the top edge of the gear box and compressible gasket before the upper part of the outer casing is placed thereon. Figure 4 is a section of the top edge of the gear box and compressible gasket after the upper part of the outer casing is placed thereon showing the change in shape of the gasket.

The outer casing is composed of an upper part or main casing 1, having inlet opening 2 and outlet opening 4, and a lower part or breakable frost bottom 3, which may be fastened together as by bolts passing through their meeting iianges or any other suitable way.

The actuating device of the meter is shown as nutating disc 5 located in separable disc chamber 6, which is so supported between upper main casing 1 and breakable frost bottom 3, that when the water in the meter freezes and expands it will break the frost bottom along notch 3 and permit the disc chamber and submerged working parts of the meter to move downward out of the main casing 1 without damage to them or to the main casing.

On top of the disc chamber 6 is supported gear box 7 formed in the shape of a cup with the open top up, that may be iilled with lubricating oil 8 up to the top of pillar 9 without the oil leaking out under driving pinion l0 and down its revolving shaft 11 into the disc chamber.

In order to prevent any leakage of the oil 8 through the bottom of gear box 7, I propose to make it a solid casting and mount it on the top of measuring chamber 6 by threading the two at the point of contact and screwing them together.

Within gear box '7 on rigid post 12 is removably mounted intermediate gear 13 and its pinion 14,

In the top of pinion 14 is fastened bearing block 15 which supports on top of post 12 the weight of pinion 1'4 and its gear 13. In the side of pinion 14 near block 15 is formed an oil hole 16.

On the top edge of gear box '7 a groove is 60 formed in which is placed a compressible gasket 17 which is compressed by the inner surface of the top of the main casing 1 When the meter is assembled.

On the outside-0f the top of main casing 1 is 65 mounted register 18 and register box 18.

Register 18 receives motion through stuffing box shaft 19 Vwhich passes through stuing box 20 and has securely mounted on its lower end stufng box gear 21 meshing with intermediate 7l)EV pinion 14 located in gear box 7.

In the interior of main casing 1 is removable strainer 22 opposite inlet opening 2.

By inclosing the intermediate gear train' in gear box 7 it is protected from the constant ac- 7.5. tion of the inflowing water and its accompanying oxygen thus reducing corrosion and also preventing any oil or lubricant used on the gears from being washed away.

By mounting gear box 7 on top of measuring 80. chamber 6 it is released with the measuring chamber When' the meter freezes and frost bottom 3 breaks.

By separably closing the opening in the top of gear box 7 by the inner surface of the main 85 casing 1 and compressible .gasket 17 any water that may be in gear box 7 when the meter freezes may expand without damaging same as the measuring chamber and gear box are released.

By having the gear box 7 open at thetop while the meter is being assembled as shown in Figure 2 permits the convenient assembly and inspection of the intermediate gears and the placing of the lubricating oil in the bottom of the gear box where it is held without leaking into the measuring chamber.

By making the gasket 17 compressible both in material and in form permits considerable variation in making and assembling the various parts of the meter and still have the joint between the top of gear box 7 and the underside of the top of main casing 1 suiiiciently tight for all practical purposes.

By putting the lubricating oil 8 in the bottom 105 of the gear box 7 it is safely held until the meter is put in service at which time water Will gradually pass up along revolving shaft 11 and under pinion 10 and iill the balance of the gear box 7 causing the oil to float above the water in the 1110 top of the gear box and lubricate the intermediate gear 13, pinion 14, stuffing box gear 21 and shaft 19, and enter oil hole 14 and lubricate bearing block 15.

As equal pressure is soon established on both the inside and outside of the walls of gear box '7, gasket 17 may be made quite elastic and compressible and still be suiciently tight for all practical purposes.

Modifications may be made in details of construction of the various parts without departing from the principles of the invention and some of the improvements may be used without the others.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a water meter an outer casing comprising a lower section and a dome shaped separable upper section; a gasket between said two casing sections; a measuring chamber enclosed by and removable from said outer casing; a cup shaped submerged gear box containing lubricating oil, having an opening in its top, and secure- 1y mounted on said measuring chamber; a driving pinion shaft extending up through the bottom of said gear box to transmit motion from said measuring chamber; a pillar enclosing said shaft and extending up into said gear box above the normal level of the oil in said gear box before installation; a gasket contacting the top outer edge of said gear box and the upper inner surface of said dome shaped outer casing section at a point substantially above the gasket between said two casing sections; and intermediate gears within said box operatively connected to said driving pinion shaft; substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a Water meter an outer casing comprising a lower section and a dome shaped separable upper section; a gasket between said two casing sections; a measuring chamber enclosed by and removable from said outer casing; a cup shaped submerged gear box containing lubricating oil, having an opening in its top, and securely mounted on said measuring chamber; a driving pinion shaft extending up through the bottom of said gear box to transmit motion from said measuring chamber; a pillar enclosing said shaft and extending up into said gear box above the normal level of the oil in said gear box before installation; a gasket contacting the top outer edge of said gear box and the upper inner surface of said dome shaped outer casing section at a point substantially above the gasket between said two casing sections; a rigid post projecting upward within said gear box and having a free upper end; and an intermediate pinion and gear mounted on said post, supported by said end, and operatively connected to said driving shaft; substantially as and for the purpose described.

GEORGE B. BASSETT. 

